The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-07-21
DILL ARP.
arp Says tho World is Growing Better


The preacher told us the other day
that sin was born in child and it was q
life long struggle to keep it down. That
if you planted tree that it would grow
up straight of its own nature, but a child
would grow up crooked and the parents
had to brace it up just like we stake up
tree to keep the wind from blowing it
down. We protect the young tree from
battle and storms by planting boards on
each side and mailing stats across, and
Just so the father must stand upright on
one side of the child and the mother on
the other, and they must lock arms
around and keep the little fellow straight.
But the difference is the tree is inclined
to grow straight and the child to grow up
crooked. 4
That is so reckon-Dayid said "man
is born to sin as the sparks fly upward"
and we all know that there is power of
sin in the world, and according to history
there always has been, but there is q
power of good, too. Cyrus was not a.
God fearing man, but he vas a philoso:
pher and he said, "I know that I am
under the dominion of two powerful
spirits-one the spirit Of good and the
other the spirit of evil. They. are carry.
ing on continual warfare in my soul
and contending for its possession" Paul
said "tWhen I would do good sin is
present with me-" suppose that is the
experience Of everybody. know that is
mine; thousand times have I felt
inclined to do things that neither my
conscience nor my reason approved.
Things that I condemned and abhorred
as other people. The spirit of evil was
after me. Then again the spirit Of floye
and kindness and good will would take
possession and get the mastery, and so /
feel like Cyrus, that the war is going on
and must help fight it. I believe that
man can submit to the spirit of evil.
until he will love its dominion. He will
love hate and discord aud triumph in
the downfall and misery Of other people,
and if be dies in that condition he will
keep on in it in the world to come,
whether it be hades or sheol or some
other mysterious abode. As the tree
falleth there it shall be. I do not seek
to fathom the origin of sin or of evil or
the devil. It is enough for me to know
that am sinner. The devil is most
insinuating rascal. I saw a boy getting
apples from a tree that overhung the
sidewalk, and when 1 asked.him if it was
right he said, ."Well, sir, they are over
the road they amt in arybody's lot"
The devil told him to say that. Some
times boy will find knife and keep it,
although he knows who lost it. If man
finds a pocketbook with money in it he
will hunt for the owner, bat if he finds
FIVE or ten dollar bill without the pocket.
book he won't exert himself very much.
Somebody might claim it who never lost
it, and so its just as we'll to say nothing
about it. 1t is possible to be dishonest
and be generous too. l know man who
will cheat his nabor in minute, and;tell
lie to do it, but he will help poor
fellow who is down, and he loves to do
it. Most everybody has kind soft place,
in his bosom that circumstances will
reach. Most everybody has sympathy
for distress. One time I saw desper.
ate wicked man jump into a swollen
river to save poor boy from drowning
and be saved him. There we're many
good people on the bank who dared not
take the risk.
The other DAY one of our no account
dogs goa into the pound under the benign
auspices of the new dog law, and the
marshall informed me and said I could
pay dollar for-a collar and seventy
cents for his board and lodging and take
him out. made no promises and kept
silent at home, for I was perfectly will
ing for this benign canine law to take its
course, but my chaps found out that Fido
was in the pound and condemned to be
shot before breakfast next morning and
just such connection as was raised I
never heard. Children and grandchil.
dren raised the rebel yell and their sym
pathy for poor Fido made me ashamed
of myself and so 1 had to pay him out
and then buy two more collars for two
more dogs-and that makes three dollars
and seventy.five cents invested in dogs
that I will give anybody as much more
to steal and carry away for good, and no
questions asked. We have given Fido
away several times, but it won't stick.
A Fannin county man hauled him thirty
miles one day, and Fido was back home
next morning in time for dinner. He is
good for nothing in the world, except to
bark when it thunders, but the children
love him and he loves them, and wags
his little tail when they come from
school.
The great contention in this life is be.
tween love and selishness-the love that
strikes in and the love that reaches out.
The poet says most truly:
Gall thoughts, all passions, all delights,
Whatever stirs this mortal frame,
All are but ministers of love,
And feed Its sacred flame"
And another says:
Glove rules the camp, the court, the grove,
And men below and saints above,
For love Is heaven and heaven is love-"
Love is the cardinal doctrine and
teaching OF Jesus Christ-the best man
that ever lived. Love to God and love
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